School Resource Officer 

 Ptl. Scott Lear

The Gallipolis Police Department has a long and close relationship with the Gallipolis City Schools. Since the early 1950's the department has provided a crossing guard at Washington Elementary School, a tradition that survives still today. The presence of an officer every morning and every afternoon is a part of the reason that there is an excellent record for pedestrian safety around the school. An officer has accompanied the Washington School Safety Patrol on their trip to Washington D.C. every year since the 1960's, again contributing to the safety record of that program. Officers have always had a presence in our schools, and in the late 1980's that presence and relationship was formalized when a successful DARE program started.

In 1998 we began hearing about horrific shootings in schools in small towns across the country and more emphasis was being placed on school safety, particularly at the secondary level.
With the DARE officer's retirement it was the perfect time to try something new, a School Resource Officer in our high school. The program was an immediate success. In the first year fights at the school dropped by 55%. Teachers, administrators, and staff, were all pleased with an officer's presence in the school. Students were grateful to have an officer they got to know and could use as a confidant. Parents felt better about sending their children to school. As the students felt more comfortable with the officer they would come to him with information, and many criminal acts were prevented and crimes were solved.
It was a Win Win situation.

This year long time School Resource Officer Greg Frazier retired after many years of dedicated service to this community and school.  He has been replaced by Patrolman Scott Lear, a newcomer to the Gallipolis Police Department, but a long time resident of the Gallipolis Area.

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